A Multicentre Cross-sectional Study of the Prevalence of Hypertensive Disease in Patients Presenting for Elective Surgery in the Western Cape

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

Although the diagnosis of hypertension and initiation of treatment is most frequently made in the primary health care setting, the perioperative period provides clinicians with a unique opportunity to identify patients with hypertensive disease, educate patients about the disease, and, if appropriate, initiate appropriate therapy. Furthermore it provides the opportunity to refer patients for further investigation or follow up at peripheral health care centres for ongoing management. The identification and diagnosis of hypertension as well as the effective management thereof is a primary health care target and serves as an efficient health care strategy in reducing long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as the burden of disease associated complications. There are however, a multitude of reasons to investigate and treat persistent hypertension in the perioperative period. The long-term end organ effects are numerous and add significantly to patient morbidity and mortality. Appropriate blood pressure control has an important long term impact on patient outcome. In the acute peri-operative setting the significance of hypertension is however less clear.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES:

Aim of the Study:

The primary aim of the study is to identify and categorise the prevalence of hypertensive disease in adult patients presenting for non-cardiac, non-obstetric elective surgery in all surgical disciplines at 1 tertiary level institution and 6 secondary hospitals over the determined period of the study.